LONGINES - The Grand Prix Longines Lydia Tesio

Fabio Branca, winner with Quiza Quiza Quiza

Press release

Rome (Italy) – St-Imier (Switzerland) October 23rd 2011 – Longines, Official Timekeeper of the racecourse Capannelle in Rome is proud to announce the victory of Fabio Branca on Quiza Quiza Quiza at the Grand Prix Longines Lydia Tesio. The Swiss watch brand and Capannelle have revealed their partnership on October 20th during an event at the Palazzo Wedekind in the center of Rome. That same evening, Longines also awarded the prize “Premio Longines Lydia Tesio - Le Signore dell’Ippica” to six women active in the equestrian world. The elegant model The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph was the official watch of the event.

The Grand Prix Longines Lydia Tesio at the racecourse Capannelle, for which Longines is Official Timekeeper. © Longines

In the warmth of the roman autumn, the racecourse of Capannelle welcomed the Grand Prix Longines Lydia Tesio this Sunday. The Italian rider Fabio Branca on the Italian horse Quiza Quiza Quiza has won this Group I race of 2’000 meters opened to 3 years old fillies. The jockey, the owner and the trainer of Quiza Quiza Quiza were presented with Longines watches. The whole day was marked by the elegance and the refinement among the public, true to Longines’ slogan “Elegance is an attitude”.

This race is dedicated to the memory of Donna Lydia, the first lady of the Italian horse racing and wife of the great thoroughbred breeder Federico Tesio. It was therefore logical that Longines awarded early that week the prize “Premio Longines Lydia Tesio - Le Signore dell’Ippica” to six great women, who have distinguished themselves in the equestrian world. It was on this occasion, on Thursday October 20th that the Swiss watch brand also announced its partnership with the racecourse of Capannelle as official timekeeper. The highlight of this cooperation was of course the Grand Prix Longines Lydia Tesio of this Sunday.

The Prize-giving ceremony of the Grand Prix Longines Lydia Tesio with (from left to right) Isabella Asti Bezzera, President of ANAC, Luigi Riccardi, trainer of Quiza Quiza Quiza, Fabio Branca, jockey winner, Riccardo Cantoni, owner and breeder of the winning horse, Juan- Carlos Capelli, Longines’ Vice President and Head of International Marketing and Tomaso Grassi, President of HippoGroup Roma Capannelle. © Longines

As official watch for this event, the brand selected a classical and refined model that perfectly reflects the precision and the beauty of equestrian sports. The Longines Column-Wheel Chronograph gives priority to classical and refined beauty. The column wheel that forms part of the movement serves to steer the functions of the chronograph mechanism. This model has a stainless steel, 39 mm diameter case that surrounds a silvered dial with 13 hour symbols. It displays the hours and minutes with a small seconds at 9 o’clock, as well as the date plus of course the chronograph functions: centre seconds sweep, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock. This model is fitted on a dark brown alligator strap and is water-resistant to 3 bar (30 meters).